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(o Model) A. F.. PAINE, DGOd.

I. PAINE,- Administrator. 'OCEAN SIGNAL STATION.

Patented May 6, 1890.

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UNITED STATES Arent Prien,

ALVIN F. PAINE, OF SOUTH I/VELLFLEET, MASSACHUSETTS; ISAAC PAINEADMINISTRATOR OF SAID ALVIN F. PAINE, DEOEASED.

OCEAN SIGNAL-STATION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,480, dated May 6,1890. Application tiled January 16, 1890. Serial No. 337,114.. (Nomodel.)

To all wwwt it may concern:

Be it known thatI, ALVIN F. PAINE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of South Wellfleet, in the county of Barnstable and State otMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in OceanSignal-Stations, of which the following, taken in connect-ion with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in ocean signal-stations; and itconsists in an improved manner of anchoring light-ships at sea andestablishing' telegraphic communication between the shore and such shipsor between the latter, as will hereinafter be more fully shown anddescribed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where-Figure l represents a side elevation of the invention, showingalight-ship anchored by means of my improved device and showing it asconnected by means of an electric cable or wire to the shore; and Fig. 2represents a detail central longitudinal section of the float to whichthe light-ship is connected.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on thedifferent parts of the drawings.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a hollow float or buoy A, ofa spherical or other suitable form, having` attached to it in a suitablemanner a downwardly-projecting 'hollow tube or steln B, the upper end ofwhich is secured in an air-tight manner to the top portion of the floatA, the lower portion of the said float being also secured in a similarairtight manner to the hollow stem or tube B, which latter is made toextend below the float at such a distance as may be found most suitableand practical for the purpose of anchoring it to the bottom of the seaand connecting` it to the light-ship.

In practice I make at or near the lower end of the hollow stem or tube Ban annular flan ge or shoulder B', between which andan adjustable collarB is located a ring C, which is loosely journaled on the stem or tube B,so as to be free to turn completely around the latter, for a purpose aswill hereinafter be described.

In one piece with or secured to the ring C is a bracket or eye C', towhich the light-ship or signal-station D is connected by a chain orcable E, as shown in the drawings.

In practice I prefer to make the collar B internally screw-threaded andadapted to it a corresponding external screw-threaded part of the hollowstem B, and secured to the latter by means of one or more set screws orpins c; but I do not wish to conne myself to the exact construction, asit is only necessary that the ring O, to which the light-ship orsignalstation is connected, shall be free to turn completely around thestemB and also kept from slipping upward on said stem. It so desired,anti-friction rollers may be arranged between the exterior of the stem Band the interior of the ring C, or between the top and bottom ot' thesame and the shoulder B and collar B, to enable the ring to turn aroundthe stem B with a minimum of frictional resistance, such anti-frictiondevices being, however, not shown in the drawings.

The lower end of the hollow stem B is preterably provided with four earsor projections l) l? b b, arranged at right angles to each other, and tosuch ears or projections are connected the anchor chains or cables ffff,the lower ends of which are connected to anchors F F F F, anchored atthe bottom of the sea, as shown in Fig. 1.

In practice I prefer to use four anchors; but I do not wish to confinemyself to this precise number, as two or more may be used withoutdeparting from the essence of my invention. It will thus be seen that bythe arrangement of connecting the light-ship or signal-station D to thestem of the hollow float such light-ship may be swung completely aroundthe lioat or buoy by the action of the tides, winds, or waves withoutfouling the anchorchains or the electric cable or twisting the buoy orfloat, which latter is supposed to be held stationary or approximatelyso.

G is a wire or insulated electric cable leading from the light-ship D,through the hollow stem B, to a station on shore orto anotherlight-ship, or to both, as may be desired.

In practice I pret'er to secure the telegraph wire or cable G to acollar or flange g, resting loosely on top of the tloat or buoy A, so asto prevent said cable or wire from sagging down through the tube B, and,if so desired, a uni- IOO versal or swivel connection may be made atthis point to prevent the twisting of the cable or wire G as thelight-ship or station D turns or swings around its moorings. Theadvantages of this arrangement are many, among which may be mentioned:Light-ships or signal-stations may be anchored at suitable places muchfarther from the shore than is now the case, and electric connectionsestablished between each of such light-ships or signal-stations and theshore or between a series of such stations for the purpose of announcingthe arrival or passing of vessels in advance of the time now obtained;to telegraph to the mainland or shore when vessels were in distress, andthus procure speedy assistance; for the purpose of signaling ortelegraphing to' and from the lightship or signal-station the state ofthe weather, rain-falls, storms, the velocity of the wind,meteorological observations, dac.; for insuring safety to vessels inwardor outward bound, or for any or other similar purposes.

The light-ship or signal-station D is to be provided with a suitabletelegraphic instrument and battery connected with the wire or cable G,for the purpose of sending. messages over such wire or cable to theshore across the struction, and operation of my invention, I

wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim- A iioat or buoy havingsecured to it and passing through the same a hollow stem or tubeanchored to the sea-bottom, as described, and having loosely j ournaledon it a ring connected to the light-ship or signal-station, combinedwith a telegraph wire or cable passing through said hollow tube andestablishing an electrical connection between the light-ship orsignal-station and the shore or between similarly-arranged light-shipsor signal-stations, substantially as and for1 the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 21st day of December, A.D. 1889.

ALVIN F. PAINE.

Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDRN, MARTHA J. JACKSON.

